Steam iron



June 19, 1956 B. F. PARR 2,750,691

STEAM IRON Filed July 17. 1952 FIG.|.

INVENTOR BERNARD F. PARR 7?-/. ATTORNEY United States Patent STEAM IRON Bernard F. Parr, Mansfield, Ohio, assignor to Westinghouse Electric Corporation, East Pittsburgh, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Application July 17, 1952, Serial No. 299,334

3 Claims. CI. 38-77) This invention relates to a steam pressing iron, more particularly to a domestic steam pressing iron which is provided with a metal soleplate and a manipulating handle.

Steam irons now sold are provided with steam outlets in the soleplate and the steam which is ejected at the outlets is usually dispersed throughout the surface area of the soleplate by means of grooves disposed therein in registry with the outlets. However, in normal ironing operation, these grooves have a tendency to catch on the edges of textile articles and form wrinkles. Also, the dispersal of steam is not effective throughout the entire soleplate area and is limited by the size, direction and number of grooves.

It is an object of the invention to provide a steam iron of the above type in which the steam emitted at the soleplate is more thoroughly distributed than heretofore.

It is a further object to provide a steam iron of the above type in which the steam distributing means in the soleplate is provided in a simple and inexpensive manner.

Another object of the invention is to provide a steam iron in which the steam may be distributed at the soleplate without the use of the usual grooves or slots.

In accordance with the above objects, I mark or otherwise roughen the pressing surface of the soleplate of a steam iron to form numerous steam passages. The roughened surface is devoid of sharp edges or sharp projections and may be formed either by a plurality of indentations or projections. Also, the roughened surface may form a geometric pattern or not, as desired. For example, when the roughened surface is formed by smooth indentations, the surface may be termed a hammered surface, while when the roughened surface is formed by smooth projections, it may be termed a pebbled surface.

Preferably, I form the lower surface of the soleplate of a steam iron with a myriad of shallow indenta tions. These indentations may be of any shape and may be formed in'any suitable manner. For example, by dropping spherical steel balls thereon from a substantial height, spherical indentations may be provided. The effecton the soleplate surface is to impart a hammered finish thereon with the depth of the indentations being of the order of from .002 to .007 of an inch preferably. The indentations form no definite design and in most instances lap over each other in such a manner that numerous and devious passages are formed from the steam outlets to the surface of the soleplate. Although the indentations may be formed in the entire surface of the soleplate, I prefer to leave a margin in the smooth state about the outline of the soleplate.

I have found, by suitable testing, that the rate of steaming in a steam iron having my invention incorporated therein is increased when compared with a steam iron having a smooth soleplate of the same surface area and provided with the same number of steam outlets. Also, the dispersion of steam is greatly improved.

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The above and other objects are eifected by my invention as will be apparent from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this application, in which:

Fig. 1 shows a side elevation of a steam iron having my invention embodied therein, a portion of the iron being shown in vertical section;

Fig. 2 is a bottom plan of the soleplate, on a smaller scale;

Fig. 3 is a section, taken on line III-III of Fig. 2, on a much larger scale; and

Fig. 4 shows a segment of the surface of the soleplate shown in Fig. 2, but on the same scale as Fig. 3.

Referring to the drawings in detail, especially Fig. 1, there is shown a steam iron of the flash type, which, as well understood in the art, comprises a soleplate 113 and a water container 12 disposed above the soleplate and disposed within a shell or cover member 14. The steam iron is further provided with a manipulating handle 16 which is attached to the shell 14 in any desirable manner (not shown).

The soleplate 10 has a bottom face 17 serving as a pressing surface, and has a steam-generating chamber 18 which, as shown, is provided in part by a cavity in the upper surface of the soleplate. The soleplate is further provided with a plurality of steam outlets or ports 20 which extend vertically through the soleplate. A cover member 22 is fastened to the upper surface of the soleplate by means of screws 24 and serves to close the upper ends of the ports and the steam generator 18. Passages 26 are provided between the soleplate and the cover 22 for connecting the steam-generating chamber to the steam outlets 20. A heating element 28 may be cast in or otherwise fixed to the soleplate in a manner to heat the soleplate and the steam-generating cham ber 18. The heating element 28 may be of the well-- known sheathed heater type having a helically wound heating element 30 disposed within a tubular sheath 32; and spaced and electrically insulated therefrom by a hard mass of refractory powder. Thus, steam generated. within the steam-generating chamber 18 will pass through.

the passages 26 and the outlets 20 to the pressing sur-- face 17 of the soleplate, where it contacts the textile; being ironed.

The water container 12 may be filled by means of an filling arrangement which may be of the type shown and described in my copending application, Serial No. 236,625, filed July 13, 1951, now Patent No. 2,680,312, dated June 8, 1954, and assigned to the assignee of the present invention, and which may comprise a funnelshaped fill cap 38 having an opening therein (not shown). The iron is further provided with an adjustable valve 42 for permitting water from the chamber 12 to be admitted to the steam-generating chamber 18 in drop let form. The valve 42 comprises a valve seat member 44 disposed in an opening in the container and having an orifice 48 disposed therein communicating with the steam-generating chamber 18 and the water chamber 12. A valve stem 50 cooperates with the orifice 48 and is adjustable vertically to adjust the passage through the orifice 48 as desired.

As well understood in the art, a thermostat (not shown) may be provided to control the heating element 28, as indicated by an adjusting knob 52 disposed on the upper surface of the shell 14.

In accordance with my invention, I form the lower surface of the soleplate 10 with a myriad of indentations 54, as best shown in Figs. 2, 3 and 4. The indentations 54 may be formed in any suitable manner and may be of any shape desired. I have shown them as. being substantially spherical in shape and overlapping.

each other in such a manner that they are intercom nected and form passages for steam issuing from the outlets 20 to the entire pressing surface 17 of the soleplate defined by the indentations. These indentations may be formed by dropping steel balls into the soleplate from a substantial height, by hammering the surface by means of punches, or if desired, they may be formed during the casting of the soleplate. The indentations 54 surround the steam outlets 20 and some of the indentations occur at the outlets as indicated at 54a and 54b. The indentations 54a and 54b serve to flare the outlets somewhat, thereby imparting a smoothness to the edge of the outlets and minimizing the possibility of leaving sharp edges around the outlets which might catch on textiles during the ironing operation.

As best shown in Figs. 2 and 4, the indentations 54 substantially cover the surface of the soleplate as defined by the dot-and-dash line 56. The marginal surface portion 57 of the soleplate, beyond the dot-anddash outline 56, is left in the fiat state and serves to seal the edges of the soleplate against leakage of steam therefrom to the atmosphere. Although the indentations may be of any size and depth, I prefer, When employing an aluminum soleplate, to form them With balls of approximately /2 inch diameter and .drop them onto the surface of the soleplate from a height of approximately 40 inches. The depth attained may vary from .002 to .007 of an inch and the Width of the indentations may vary from .063 to .117 inch before distortion by a subsequently formed overlapping indentation. However, the depth and the width of the indentations may be varied as desired and as dictated by appearance of the soleplate. The marginal soleplate portion 57 is approximately /1 inch in width when /2 inch balls are used.

In operation, after the container has been filled with water through the fill cap 38 with the valve stem 50 in its lower position to close the orifice 43, the heating element 28 is energized by rotation of the thermostat knob 52, as well understood in the art. When the soleplate attains the desired temperature for steam ironing, the orifice 48 is opened by raising the valve stem 50 to permit water to flow into the steam generating chamber 18, where it is vaporized into steam by contact with the surface thereof. The steam thus generated is transmitted to the pressing surface 17 of the soleplate by the steam passages 26 and the steam outlets 20. Upon issuing from the outlets, the steam will disperse therefrom and follow the devious passages formed by the indentations 54a, 54b and 54 to surface areas of the soleplate remote from the steam outlets.

The steam follows numerous passages after issuance from the outlets and thus ensures that substantially the entire surface of the soleplate having indentations formed therein receives steam for improved steam ironing of textiles. Since the indentations are fairly small and shallow with no sharp edges, damage to the textiles by catching thereon and snagging of delicate textiles is eliminated. Also, the more complete dispersal of steam throughout the surface of the soleplate imparts a cushion efiect to the iron and reduces the effort required to manipulate the iron.

Although the soleplate may be made of any desired material, the invention is especially advantageous when the soleplate is made of aluminum. Since aluminum is relatively soft, it has heretofore had a tendency to scratch and lose its luster after usage. However, when the indentations 54 are formed in the soleplate after the soleplate is cast, they serve to work harden the pressing surface of the soleplate and increase its ability to withstand scratching and .marring. Also, since the surface has a hammered elfect, small scratches are not readily noticed by the observer and the surface maintains its factory appearance for a considerably longer period of time after usage.

In the claims, the term roughened surface is generic and includes an irregular surface formed by a plurality of indentations or projections having smooth contours permitting the iron to glide smoothly over textiles Without catching or snagging thereon.

Although my invention has been shown as incorporated in .a steam iron .of .the flash type, it is not so limited. It is equally advantageous when embodied in other types of domestic steam irons, such as, for example, the well known boiler-type steam iron and the steam iron having an external steam supply.

While I have shown my invention in but one form, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that .it is not so limited, but is susceptible of various changes and modifications without departing from the spirit thereof.

What I claim is:

1. The combination in a steam pressing iron, a soleplate provided with a steam :port, a manipulating handle disposed above said soleplate, means for heating said soleplate and steam-producing means communicating with said port, said soleplate having a pressing surface and said pressing surface being provided with a myriad of indentations in the area surrounding said port, the majority of said indentations partially overlapping one another for providing a plurality of connected passages adapted to disperse steam emitted from said port.

2. The structure recited in claim 1 in which the marginal portion of said pressing surface is flat and smooth and the remainder of said surface is provided with said indentations.

3. The combination in a steam pressing iron, a soleplate provided with a steam port, a manipulating handle disposed above said soleplate, means for heating said soleplate .and steam producing means communicating with said port, said soleplate having a pressing surface and said ,pressing surface being provided with a myriad of spherical indentations in the area surrounding said port, said indentations having a depth on the order of .002 inch to .007 inch, the majority of said indentations partially overlapping one another for providing a plurality of connected passages adapted to disperse steam emitted from said port.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 222,849 Welch Dec. 23, 1879 2,344,098 Lucia Mar. 14, 1944 2,353,604 Waring et a1. July 11, 1944 

